Objective: Students will be able to create a solid three-dimensional historical character using movement, expression, voice, and more by interacting with other characters in a 30-minute improved performance.
Hook: Play speed dating as historical characters to get everyone warmed up. Give them 1 minute to get to know each other as best as they can as their characters, then have them rotate. This is to help students get to know each other’s characters and to get warmed up and used to acting as them.
Step 1: Pass out Character analysis worksheets. Have students fill them out as much as they can while you get set up for the “character lunch.”
Step 2: Explain to students what you are watching for one more time before we begin the lunch. Give them a few minutes to get dressed up and set out snacks for the performance.
Assessment: Let the lunch begin. Assess students’ ability to improv for a full 30 minutes as they portray their characters and interact with other historical characters. Take notes on great things you see from each person so that you can discuss them at the end of class. Play some music in the background so that they feel more comfortable.
Step 3: Give students time to clean up and get back into their regular clothes again after the 30 minutes is over. Have them finish filling out their character analysis.
Step 4: If you have time at the end of class, discuss what happened, read your notes to the class of what you loved and ask for any other observations. What was their experience like? Did they enjoy this? What was hard? How are you going to apply this to the next thing you do in theatre? How did this help you with life and observing other people’s stories?
